Beaufort County School District hosts Special Olympics bowling tournament

SCOTT THOMPSON

Wednesday

Jan 1, 2014 at 12:15 AM

Sun City Lions Club member Ralph Ickes helped wheel Battery Creek High School student Eddie Potter up to the far right lane of Bluffton's Station 300 bowling alley for his attempt at a strike.

Potter, who was one of about 150 students that competed in the Beaufort County School District's Special Olympics bowling tournament on Dec. 20, didn't knock all of the pins down, but one wouldn't know from the smile on his face.

"I've been doing this for the last four or five years and love it," Ickes said. "(The Lions Club) volunteers at several of these types of events every year. I probably have as much fun as the kids do."

The annual tournament has been held for 15 years and is part of an extensive district-wide Special Olympics program that encourages inclusion of special education students with regular education students. Parents, students and teachers as well as members of the Knights of Columbus, Sun City Lions Club and U.S. Marines volunteered at the event. Cheerleaders from each of the district's five high schools were also on hand to support the athletes.

"We wanted to create an atmosphere that's similar to any sporting event," said Gregory McCord, chief student services officer for Beaufort County schools. "We're hoping to foster an environment where student athletes feel the same, whether they're on a special education or regular education track. Having the cheerleaders here is an added benefit for the student athletes because they don't typically get that kind of treatment. So they're having a good time with it; there's a lot of excitement."

Brenda Hunt, director of special education for the district, said Beaufort County is the first school system in the state to include Special Olympics programs under its regular athletics curriculum through the national Project UNIFY program. In addition to bowling, track and field, tennis, basketball, golf, swimming and equestrian programs are offered.

"The students in the system compete against each other throughout the school year, then in the summer they go up against schools from around the state and country," Hunt said. "We've had special education students represent us at state, national and international competitions. This is getting bigger and bigger every year."

McCord said the primary goal of the program is to increase awareness of what those with special needs are capable of doing, rather than what they can't do.

"We wanted to spearhead the efforts in the state by making sure our student athletes here are one and not having something for one group and something else for another," he said. "So we're trying to merge regular student athletes with those who have disabilities and teach them compassion and respect and love for one another. Those are attributes that will carry them far in life."

Bringing kids together

Project UNIFY uses sports and education programs to bring all students within a school together, regardless of intellectual ability, and for them to learn about both their differences and similarities.

Bluffton High School has received a Project UNIFY grant every year since the project launched. Special education teacher Lisa Lucas started a club this school year that meets every two weeks and allows students to participate in activites ranging from sports like tennis to activities like arts and crafts, karaoke and video games and even recycling and delivering newspapers.

"It's a chance for the students at Bluffton High to get to know the special education kids more," Lucas said of the club. "I always want to leave that door open because there are a lot of kids that really have an interest in it and really want to be here helping their peers. As a teacher, when my students are paired with a buddy they know, I can sit back a little, and that gives my students a bit of independence, too, which is good for them."

Financial support

In 1991, Rose and Frank Fotia founded the Children's Relief Fund (CRF) of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island as a tribute to their son, Gregory, who had multiple disabilities and passed away about 12 years ago, Rose Fotia said.

The nonprofit organization raises money every year to help fund therapy, equipment, summer camps, Special Olympics programs and other group activities for area special needs children. The group's board of about 25 people works on a strictly volunteer basis and includes a local pediatrician, speech language pathologist, physical therapist assistant, social worker, local business people and parents.

Fotia said CRF generates about $150,000 a year to give to special needs programs, including $50,000 annually for Special Olympics programs.

"It's absolutely awesome; I love helping these kids because I know they appreciate these things so much more," she said. "I thought that when my son passed, I would stop doing this, but I couldn't. The kids keep inspiring me to do it. It's hard to walk into an event like (the bowling tournament) and look at their faces and not feel gratified that the funding you're helping provide is making their lives better and happier.

"That's why I keep doing it."

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